Adjustable guide for transfer mechanisms



F. B. GLOVER.

ADJUSTABLE GUIDE FOR TRANSFER MECHANISMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. lo. 1920.

1,395,489. Patented Nov. 1, 1.921.

L A-m PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. GLOVER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.`

ADJUSTABLE GUIDE FOR TRANSFER MEGHANISMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 1, 1921.

Application filed April 10, 1920. Serial No. 372,882.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK B. GLOVER, a citizen ofthev United `States,a nd a resident of New'Yor'k, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Guides forl Transfer Mechanisms, of which the following is a specificatiom The principalrobject of this invention 1s to provide a guide for the stylus or needleof a transfer machine, of pantographic or like type, by which variable inscriptions, comprised of numerals, alphabet-ical characters, symbols, etc., maybe alined in any desired arrangement, each character being individually disposed upon one of a plurality of separately adjustablebars, slidably arranged 1n a holder attachable.l to the machine.

A further object is to provide means whereby the characters may be displayed in either of two directions as' desired.

Finally to provide an apparatus of the class, comprised of few andsimple parts, readily and conveniently adjusted and operated, and capable of efficiently producing accurate results These objects are attained bythe novel construction,` combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter'described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which :e

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedtran'sverse sectional view taken on Vline 2 2 of Fig. 1. j l

Fig. 3 is a `fragmentary sectional view taken lengthwise through one Lof the adjustable bars and showing a modified form of detent. Y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one" ofV the sliding bars showing a character and detent depressiomdrawn to an enlarged scale.A

Referring to'the drawings in detail, thenumeral 10 designates 'the'base'plate of the apparatus, the same being essentially an oblong rectangle, of uniform thickness, provided with raised lateral walls respectively 11- and 12, forming a trough-like-structure adapted to be disposed on the bed of the machine with which itisused in conjunction.

Suchbeds are usually provided with longitudinal slots to which the key 14 is fitted, this key being provided with several openings for the reception of screws by which the key may be secured, either longitudinally to the base 10, or transversely, as shown, according tothe direction itis desired to have the characters face.

A plurality of flat rectangular bars 15, in number according to the number of characters to be transferred in any one line, are formed with smooth parallel sides and suited, in aggregate, to fill the space between the side walls 11 and 12, the thickness of the bars being equal to the height of the walls, it being understood that each bar is independently freely slidable on the base 10, the adjacent bars or side walls acting as guides.

At the front ends of the bars are raised lugs Aor analogous devices 16 by which the bars may be easily manipulated.

Secured to the side walls, near the front ofthe apparatus, is a cleat or strip 17, extending over the upper surface of the several bars, a similar strip 18 being disposed at a point nearer the rear, these strips serving to confine the bars in operative engagement on thebase.

Accessibly disclosed on the upper surface of each bar are the characters it is desired to transfer, in the present instance numerals 20, the same being engraved or stamped, in intaglio, at regular spaced intervals, as shown in Fig. 1. It is to be understood that the sizes of the characters do not necessarily indicate the size they will appear on the work, as the stylus of the machine, operating in the manner of a lever, may magnify or decrease the same proportionately.

Parallel to the strip 17 and spaced therefrom a distance sufficient to disclose a row of numerals, is a raised bracket 21 having bored openings 22 covered by a plate 23 fastened tc the bracket which in turn is secured at its ends to the walls 11 and 12.

Contained in the openings 22 are plungersV 24 having conical detent points 25 engageable in similar shaped depressions 26 formed in the bars 15, in register with the numerals 20 and vclosely adjacent to the edges of the bars.

These plungers are normally depressed by coiled springs 27 encircling the plunger stems Y28, which passA through appropriate openings in the plate 23 and are provided with operating Aknobs 29 by which the detents may be raised, although in adjusting the bars this is not necessary as the detents readily rise out of the openings when the bars are moved longitudinally, and it is to be noted that the location of the detent openings is such that the points of the detents are at all times clear of the numerals so that Wear and abrasion does not occur.

In one or both of the outermost bars 15, in place of the indentation 26, there are formed, in their outer sides, angular recesses 30, corresponding in position to the numerals and performing the same function.

Engageable in the recesses is a detent 31 formed with a flat spring 32 secured to the exterior of the wall 11 and provided with an oppositely extending element 33 arranged to be manually operated, the detent extending in through an opening 34 formed in the side wall of the base.

This detent performs three distinct functions, first, as an index linger, indicating when the transverse row of numerals has been correctly adjusted; second, to take up any possible looseness between the bars, pressing them against one side, and also holding the outer bar when in adjustment.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, in place of the bracket 21, a bar 35 is used, and secured to its upper surface are bent flat springs 36 carrying detent points 37 engageable in the depressions 26 and controlled by the extending knob 38, the construction in other respects being as previously described.

In operation, the numerals composing the `number it is desired to transfer are arranged in a row in front of the index 32 by moving the slide bars in an obvious manner.

If consecutive numbers are required, in order to set up the next higher, the bar at the right only need be moved until it bee comes necessary to carry, as usual in decimal notation, the detents permitting such sliding motion and acting to correctly aline the characters when moved into approximate correct position.

From the foregoing it will be clear that a simple, effective and easily operated apparatus has been disclosed, capable of fulfilling the objects set forth.

It is understood that modifications in structure may be made, not requiring the exercise of invention, and which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim- 1. A transfer guide comprising a base, a plurality of rigid, juxtaposed bars slidable unlimitedly thereon, said bars having a longitudinal row of uniformly spaced depressed characters, and means for adjusting said bars .to form various combinations of the lcjharacters as read transversely across the ars.

2. A transfer guide comprising a base plate having raised lateral walls, means for securing said plate extended in either of two positions, juxtaposed bars slidable independently on said plate between the walls, said bars having intaglio characters disposed at uniformV intervals'on their faces, means for maintaining said bars on said plate, and means for actuating said bars to cause any of the characters thereon to register transversely with selected characters on other bars.

3. A transfer guide comprising a base plate having raised lateral Walls, means for securing said plate extended ineither of two positions, juxtaposed bars slidable independently on said plate between the Walls, said bars having intaglio characters disposed at uniform intervals on their faces, an index carried by said plate, and means for actuating said bars to cause alinement of selected characters with said index. 4. A Ytransfer guide comprising a base plate, a plurality of juxtaposed bars independently slidable thereon, the faces of said bars presenting a uniform level surface, means for resiliently pressing said bars into intimate contact, said bars bearing depressed characters in their faces and having detent receiving depressions adjacent each character, andspring impelled detents engageable therein when said bars are moved to present a transversely Vregistering row of the characters.

5. A transfer guide comprising a base plate, a plurality of juxtaposed bars independently slidable thereon, the faces of said bars presenting a uniform level surface, significant characters being sunk into said bars in fixed spaced relation, the bars being provided with countersunk depressions at the side of each character, a bracket over said bars, spring impelled detents carried by said bracket, said detents being engageable in said counter sunk depressions, and a spring mounted index for indicating the alined row of characters, said index also acting to press said bars into intimate relation. j e

6. A transfer guide comprising a base, a plurality of bars slidable thereon, said bars carrying a longitudinal row of uniformly spaced intaglio characters, the outermost of said bars havingV angular grooves A in their outer edges, the mentioned grooves being in fixed correspondence to the characters, a spring index finger engageable in the grooves opposite the selected character, and spring carried detents engageable in openings in the remaining bars and corresponding to the characters carried by them.

7. A transfer guide comprising a flat adjustable base having raised lateral edges, a plurality of bars movable on said base be- L tween the edges, means formed with said bars whereby they4 may be actuated, means for coniining the bars on said base, said bars having significant intaglio characters arranged in uniformly spaced tandem relation and having depressions adjacent a side of each character, spring actuated detents for each bar carried by one of said confining means, said detnt being engageable in depressions, and an index ligure indicative of the operatively alined cross row of char- 10 acters.

In testimony whereof I name to this speciication.

FRANK B. GLOVER.

have signed my 

